…a boomer muses about life, change, joys, sorrows and freedom from the prison of corporate life.

The New Dentist

Since I don’t already have enough stress in my life, I decided to add something else – a new dentist. Why not, huh?

I’ve had three things going on in my mouth for quite some time, but since none have caused pain so far, I had established a nice friendly, “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with my teeth and gums. First, I had that gigantic molar that my old dentist was so eager to pull, that I wrote a letter to it in “To My Depressed Tooth.”It is still viable a year and a half later, but I thought it should be checked. Then I have a big open place on my front bottom gum that looks scary. And finally, I have a bottom partial containing three molars that was so worn out that the clasps wouldn’t keep it in my mouth. So I thought the time had come to…reluctantly…take action.

So, I went dentist shopping from my preferred providers list and finally settled on a practice containing two sisters that’s close to my house. When I called last Tuesday, I expected them to give me an appointment sometime toward the end of the month or the first of January. Instead they set me up for that Thursday! Yikes. I don’t think I was ready for that. Here’s how it went.

WRITTEN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT: I drove by today to find the office. It turned out to be in the corner of a building and had floor-to-ceiling glass walls on two sides. As I turned my car around, I could actually see a dentist and patient on one side. I don’t know if I’d like being tortured there for the whole world to see. I’m already beginning to dread this a bit – new office, new dentist. I’m not sure what to expect. Since the double vision, I’ve been avoiding being around strangers a lot, so this will be a challenge.

WRITTEN RIGHT AFTER MY APPOINTMENT: I’m feeling a bit shook up. My appointment was at 9:00 and it didn’t end until 11:30! First of all their “new patient” forms were endless and asked everything except my brand of deodorant. Then I waited and waited and waited, trying to read my Kindle, but actually feeling pretty nervous and like everyone was looking at me. The brightness of the waiting room with all that glass really hurt my eyes and I feared I looked googly-eyed. I felt conspicuous. I finally got called in by an assistant and had a panoramic x-ray and had to give a detailed history, then more waiting.

Finally, the dentist, Dr. Kendra, came in. She was very nice and actually listened to my reasons for being there and then did an exam. One by one she addressed my concerns. Big Mama tooth would probably eventually go, but she suggested we hold on until it does. The partial could be repaired. But the “hole” in the gum – not good. She suggested I see a periodontist as soon as possible for a possible tissue graft. Help! She also found a cavity which she wants to fill next week. So far, so good.

I hadn’t wanted to see a hygienist until after the dentist examined my teeth, due to the sensitive stuff like the gum and the Big Mama tooth. But, when I was finished with the dentist, the assistant came in and told me there had been a cancellation and I could get my teeth cleaned right then! I could have put it off, but knew it was a necessary evil. And evil it was. The hygienist was nice enough, if a bit uber-cheerful. The part I didn’t like was at the end. Right when I was leaving, she seemed to get a bright idea and said, “hold on a minute, I want to ask the dentist something.” Then she came back with this huge bottle of anti-bacterial mouthwash that she wants me to swish around for a minute every day and then not rinse my mouth. It’s to help my gums. As she handed it to me she said, “Oh, and it might stain your teeth.”

I stopped in my tracks. “Stain my teeth? Then I don’t want this stuff!”

Anyway, we argued about it for a while, but, by then I was starting to feel as if I might have an anxiety attack. It was too bright in there and everything was almost MORE than double vision and I just wanted to get the hell out. Too many people, too many names, too much info to absorb. So I escaped and came home and had a good cry. (The steroids? The hygienist? The whole experience? All of the above, I think.)

Anyway, I made an appointment with the periodontist, which gives me four dentist and doctor’s appointments next week, a fact that makes me feel a bit overwhelmed.

First, the oculoplastic surgeon wants to cut around on my eye muscles sometime in the future, now the dental tribe wants to stain my teeth and graft skin from the roof of my mouth to my gum! I’m beginning to feel like an old battered Raggedy Ann doll that’s being passed around.

But I’m not going down without a fight! I’ll use that mouthwash stuff a couple of nights, but if it starts to stain my teeth, I’ll stop using it! And that sappy, happy hygienist can’t make me because she’s not the boss of me! So there!

Anyway, that’s the story of the new dentist experience. I may feel better about it later but right now I’m just tired and not all that happy. Can you blame me?

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4 Responses

Can’t blame you for hating all the medical attention you are receiving all at once. But, on the other hand, it’s a blessing that you can get all that medical attention too. Sounds like they all just want to make you better. Sometimes the cure is tough to go through but wouldn’t it be nice to have your mouth all fixed and not have to worry about Big Mamma and your gums? Hang in there, Star. You can do this!

Hey, I have an idea… you should go to the gynecologist next, then you can claim to have hit the “the worst of the worst” all in one month!! Keep smiling, Star. It couldn’t possibly get worse, because that would be just cruel!! Hugs, and I’m glad to hear about big mama tooth, tell her to hang in there too!

Cannot blame you in the least! I’ll take the doctor, any kind, any day over the dentist. Well, that was before I found the most awesome dentist. Things were great for years as he understood my issues and treated me like the absolute child I am at the dentist. (Anything beyond a standard cleaning & x-rays requires blanket, iPod, gas, numbing cream and then novicane. Not to be rushed anywhere along the way.) But now we’ve moved halfway across the country and I’m dreading finding a new one. Good luck!